Quitting writing

The district administration that was engaged in parleys with the caste outfits over the book “Madhorubhagan” should have upheld the constitutional right of a writer of fiction instead of allowing those who indulged in vandalism to demand and extract an unconditional apology from Perumal Murugan. Pray, whose personal liberty was offended by his writing? That this has forced the writer to keep away from writing should serve as a warning to all creative writers. His plea that all his works be returned is nothing but the anguished call of a victim. Let writers’ associations form a forum to create awareness among the public about the injustice done to the writer and also convince those on the other side to see the danger of being swayed by vested interests who, to further their own ends, make a fact out of fiction.

K. Natarajan,

Thanjavur

It is with great concern that we, as citizens of a free India, are unable to react to a gradual erosion of our fundamental rights on an almost daily basis. Perumal Murugan’s decision to quit writing as he felt he is “dead” is cause for great concern among right thinking people. There is no point in talking about overtaking China unless we are first able to ensure that our people live in peace and harmony.

Amina Omer,

Chennai

I find that Perumal Murugan is not the only author who has given a ‘different or a perverted interpretation’ for a barren wife conceiving in a spiritual atmosphere! Former BBC correspondent, Mark Tully published a book, Heart of India, which has a story of a barren wife visiting a holyman in a temple and subsequently conceiving by miracle or something more worldly! When there was no hue and cry over what was narrated in the Heart of India , why this now?

K. Bala Sundram,

Dharmapuri, Tamil Nadu